Clearing clutter from your bedroom may actually improve sleep!

A new sleep study has found that people who doze in cluttered rooms and are at high risk for developing hoarding disorder are more likely to have sleeping problems. This includes having trouble falling asleep at night and experiencing rest disturbances.

What to throw out of your bedroom right now

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What to throw out of your bedroom right now

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- 0:27

In an online survey that assessed 281 participants’ sleep quality and risk factors for developing hoarding disorder, 30 percent scored high risk while the rest had a low risk. The high-risk participants also reported being tired the next day, an all-too-familiar side effect of tossing and turning at night.

Researchers point out that this could lead to bigger problems. Besides slowing down your thinking and making it hard to function during the day, lack of sleep can also lead to depression.

And when you’re not fully functioning properly, it’s hard to make smart choices, such as what to keep and what to throw out. So, the more a person has sleep disturbances because of their cluttered room, the worse it might get.

The study’s lead author, Pamela Thacher, assistant professor of psychology at St. Lawrence University, explains in a press release that hoarders typically have problems with decision making and executive function.

"Poor sleep is known to compromise cognition generally, so if hoarders have cluttered/unusable bedrooms (and less comfortable, functional beds), any existing risk for cognitive dysfunction, depression and stress may increase as sleep quality worsens.”

Of course, there are many other things besides a messy room that could contribute to sleep disturbance. Stress, anxiety or other mental health conditions could play a role. It’s also important to take note of your sleeping habits. The National Sleep Foundation suggests sticking to a sleep schedule and keeping your room between 60 and 67 degrees.